UK light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi made a winning yet underwhelming debut to life under recent management with a points victory over Zach Parker in Manchester.
The Olympic bronze medallist's punch output seemingly secured him a judges' verdict in a tight 10-round contest at the boxing arena.
But Parker had his moments, connecting with powerful single shots in a contest where the styles never quite clicked, with constant grabbing disrupting the contest.
The officials judged it 96-94 in favor to the winner, with the remaining official a even score.
"It wasn't my best performance but what do champions do? They succeed," Buatsi commented in the ring as he was met by negative reactions from the spectators.
The British fighter bounced back after his first professional defeat - an epic battle with his previous opponent in last winter - to secure a 20th pro success.
Some ringside observers felt the challenger, thirty-one, should have been awarded the win but the contender endured the second setback of his 28-fight professional journey.
The Champion Earns Victory in Slow Match
Buatsi's progress has stalled in recent years through contract problems and considerable time of inactivity.
Once tipped as the rising talent of the British fight scene, he now is positioned trying to achieve expectations - maybe in what seems like a final roll of the dice - under new promotional backing.
He started carefully, with both competitors ready to take risks in a calculated opening few rounds.
Parker, whose single earlier setback came at super middleweight against John Ryder in 2022 after damaging his hand during the bout, was participating in his second bout at the higher weight class.
By the fight's midpoint, Parker had stayed in contention, creating difficulties for the favorite, who utilized a protective stance to edge the more effective periods.
The crowd's patience wore thin amid constant clinching, with Parker slipping to the canvas various instances during close exchanges.
Parker closed well, but several stanzas were challenging to assess. However, previous titleholder Carl Frampton - commentating on Dazn - had it significantly in favor for the challenger, giving Buatsi just only one stanza.
Buatsi moves on, but with the presence of power puncher Benavidez, and Russian star Bivol ruling the division, the road to world glory - on this evidence - still looks steep.
Ricky Hatton Memorial Motivates Local Rivalry Battle
In the supporting bout, Lyndon Arthur defeated Bradley Rea by close verdict in a outstanding all-Manchester fight to win the European light heavyweight belt.
The venue became quiet for a deeply poignant tribute ahead of the contest as a bell ceremony rang in remembrance of the city's native Hatton, who died aged 46 in September.
It was the premier televised match card in the location since the passing of Hatton. As the last bell ended, the silence gave way to a roar of "there's only one Hatton".
The fighting within the ring reflected the feeling. Arthur was floored by a significant blow squarely on the jaw in the second round, getting up unsteadily to his footing on the count of eight.
But the red-colored attire of the fighter soon pressed ahead again. From the other corner, Rea - in rival City blue - was damaged early, significant bruising developing under his face as the duo landed powerful shots.
Rea, twenty-seven, landed power punches but the champion, thirty-four, fought fire with fire with stinging uppercuts as the intensity rarely dropped over twelve rounds.
Arthur barely secured the verdict with official scores of even score, close margin and 115-112, but both fighters were persistent and brave, everything their idol Hatton stood for.
